Original Member.

Neal began singing and playing the guitar at an early age. His father, Joe C. Champion, Jr. was a singer and always encouraged Neal to sing as well. Encouraged is the key word here as Neal’s father never pushed him into music. With this encouragement, Neal developed a love for singing and playing music. He jumped at the chance to join his first Southern Gospel Quartet, The Columbian Quartet, in 1977 when he was 14, playing the bass guitar for the group. Neal’s Dad sang baritone for the group, fellow Chosen Witness member Mark Jones played the drums and later the piano and Neal’s brother, Chris Champion, played the drums.

In 1980, Neal’s dad formed The Bama Boys so that both Neal and Chris could sing in a quartet. Mark was also the piano player for The Bama Boys for a few years. They traveled all over Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennesee from 1980 until about 1994 or so.

Around 1987, Neal, after finishing college, thought it was time to start looking at the girls and think about settling down. He had known of Loretta for several years, because she was Mark’s cousin and would come to singings with Mark. He and Loretta started dating, got engaged and got married in 1988. They lived in Hoover, AL and started attending church at Central Free Will Baptist in Helena, AL (later to be named Cornerstone Church).

Neal and Loretta became very active in their home church serving in the areas of music and youth. As time passed, singing became less and less and the work of the home church became more and more. The Bama Boys retired around 1994 and singing was put on the back burner for the Champions. But deep in their hearts, they knew singing was their passion and where God wanted them to serve.

In 1996, God provided the opportunity for Neal and Loretta to be back on the road singing. Mark Jones had written a song and wanted a group of guys to sing and record the song. As a result, Chosen Witness was formed and they have been back on the road sharing the Gospel through song.

Neal started singing and playing bass guitar for Chosen Witness for the first few years. When Chosen Witness started using tracks to sing by, Neal stopped playing the bass guitar. He is very happy to be back on the road singing and ministering through song.

Neal and wife, Loretta Champion, live in Alabaster, Alabama. He sings Lead and does the bookings for Chosen Witness.

Original Member.

Loretta was born in Fayette, AL and lived in Reform, AL until she was about 5 years old.  Her family moved to Columbus, Mississippi, where she lived until she married.  As a child, she was always interested in music, both singing and playing the piano.  

She took piano lessons from the time she was in the 3rd grade until she graduated high school (East Lowndes Academy, Steens, MS).  Loretta would get in her bedroom at times and pretend that she was singing to an audience with a microphone that came with her first tape recorder. She would sing along with The Rambos, The Hinsons, The Hemphills, and a few country artists such as Tammy Wynette and Tanya Tucker and others in gospel and country music.

At the age of 13, Loretta accepted Christ as Her Savior.  She was a member of Victory Free Will Baptist Church where she played the piano for choirs, soloist, duets, trios, quartets, and was the church organist and pianist at different times.  Although she enjoyed music, she attended the Golden Triangle Vocational Technical School in Mayhew, MS and received a degree in Secretarial Science.  Loretta worked for a lawyer in Columbus, and also for a while taught piano lessons at Victory Free Will Baptist School.  

In 1987, Neal Champion asked her out for a date and as they say, history was made.  They became engaged on February 21, 1988 and were married in September of that same year.  Neal was actually the first person who was able to get Loretta to sing in front of a live audience.  She started singing with The Bama Boys (name of the group, had nothing to do with the personnel–quoted from Chris Champion) and in June before they married became the piano player for the group.  Her first weekend playing the piano they had 5 singings!

In 1994, The Bama Boys retired from singing as Chris moved to Nashville, TN, and Neal and Loretta were becoming more involved in their home church.  They were working in the music ministry as well as the youth ministry.  Although they enjoyed serving in these capacities, their hearts were always burning for being back on the road singing.

In 1996, God provided the opportunity for Neal and Loretta to be back singing in a quartet, Chosen Witness. Loretta started playing keyboard with the group and would sing a song now and then.  Neal started playing the bass guitar and singing.  As the years went by and with changes in Chosen Witness, they both just started singing as the group decided to sing with tracks and Mark Jones on the piano.

Loretta’s dream as a little girl has come true! She is singing to a live audience!

Loretta and husband, Neal, live in Alabaster, Alabama.  She sings alto and takes care of the administrative duties for the group.

Member since August 2014.

Born the youngest of six brothers, early on in life, Randall’s singing choices were literally made for him. The oldest three were all bass singers, following in their Father’s footsteps, but it was determined that the younger three would not be and so began his singing life – tenor for the three brother’s trio, The Revelations. Times change and so do voices, Randall found himself with no option but to turn bass singer or, at very best, a low baritone.

Randall joined the Eddy Independent Missionary Baptist Church as a young teenager where his Mother was a charter member. He still attends the same church today with his wife, Bonnie, and their three youngest children. Those four are his biggest supporters. If you come out to see this group in concert, you will more than likely find all four of them in the audience. It is just what they do.

His musical career consists of the early trio, playing the bass guitar for The Galileans from Arab, AL and The Followers Quartet from Sardis, AL for a few years and other short-term singing gigs. Coincidentally, both named quartets, at one time or another, had a bass singer named Southerland; one Fred, the other Joe. Randall, Fred, Arthur – another of the brothers, and Kellie, a niece sang together for a couple of years until distance and health conditions would not allow them to continue. Randall remains active in the music programs at Eddy Church but before this commitment, had been “off the road” for a couple of years.

Randall is retired from the U. S. Army after serving more than 36 years. A few of his main goals in life include: 1) Being a better Soldier for God’s army than he was a Soldier for the United States Army; 2) Being the best Father he can possibly be for his children, and 3) Being such a man of God that he would never bring reproach to anyone in his circle of influence.

Randall and his family are looking forward to this new journey in their service to God and invite one and all to come and worship with us at any opportunity you may have.